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Fairfield, Vacaville host train station grand opening

Fairfield-The Capitol Corridor train arriving at the Fairfield-Vacaville Train Station was too good a photo op to pass up.

Solano County Supervisor Jim Spering was speaking, but graciously allowed the cluster of dignitaries to gather so their staff could take pictures of them with the passengers getting off the train in the background.

Spering then resumed his part of the Thursday afternoon grand opening ceremony speech to congratulate all of the local, regional and federal agencies that made the station possible.

“We all knew that this (station) was to be important to Solano County,” Spering said.

Spering was one of several dignitaries who lauded the cooperation that got the funding and approvals to make the region’s newest train station a reality.

“What an amazing project that will pass the test of time,” Fairfield City Manager David White told the gathering of well-wishers.

White said it will not just help relieve traffic congestion along the Interstate 80 corridor, “but will also be the central point of an amazing development that will happen over the next 10 to 15 years.”

That development envisions seeing between 6,000 to 10,000 homes and 300 acres of commercial development.

Assemblyman Jim Frazier pointed out that the station will also benefit many veterans and their families along the Capitol Corridor who could use the train to get to Travis Air Force Base and David Grant Medical Center.

Rep. John Garamendi called the station a transportation project that was indicative of what Washington needed to do more of, “to build transportation systems for today and for decades to come.”

Service to the new Capitol Corridor station on Vanden Road started in November.

The Fairfield-Vacaville stop is the 18th Capitol Corridor station. Tickets can be purchased onsite at a Quick-Trak machine or online at the Capitol Corridor and Amtrak websites.

There are 139 regular parking spaces and five for people who are disabled. There are eight bike rack spaces at the station as well as E-bike lockers.

The station is about 5 miles from the Suisun City station.

Teichert Construction was awarded the contract to build the station in November 2014.

The Peabody Road overpass was completed in August 2016 to help serve the new train station. It was the first part of what city leaders call the largest public works project in Fairfield’s history.

The final cost for the station and overpass is estimated at $78 million.